The Community Sector Showcase was a first for Bendigo, and provided an opportunity for agencies to learn from each other.

Amicus and the Centre for Non-Violence held their annual general meetings during the event.

Haven; Home, Safe hosted its annual stakeholder meeting.

There was a careers expo for people interested in working in the sector, and an appeal for support from Equity Prevents Violence, a new fund aimed at supporting projects promoting gender equity and preventing violence against women and children.

MAKING A STAND: Van Badham delivers the keynote address at the Community Sector Showcase on Thursday. Picture: DARREN HOWE

Equality yet to add up

Community Sector Showcase attendees had heard in a previous segment about outspoken women becoming less vocal because of the abuse they received for speaking up.

Less than an hour later, Van Badham took to the stage of the Ulumbarra Theatre.

Her keynote address provided an insight into some of the abuse she had received since becoming part of the media, including that exchange with broadcaster Steve Price on Q&A.

“Since I took up my position at the Guardian Australia I have been subjected to what I can’t describe as criticism, so much as phenomenal personally-targeted hate from people who I have never met, never seen and am never likely to engage with in any consensual form of meeting,” Badham said.

“What’s my crime? I’ve illuminated a truth that no person in this room or anyone of any reason beyond it hasn’t acknowledged: that we live in a society that’s unfair.

“We live in a society where those with money and power and privilege are overwhelmingly men, overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly straight, and overwhelmingly entrusted with positions of responsibility and influence at a level somewhat disproportional to, as a demographic, they perhaps deserve.

“If ever you're tempted to believe we live in an equal society where all women have the same access to social institutions as men do, spend a day at the magistrates court.”

Badham has been trolled online, subjected to physical violence, followed home, sent a package containing images of genital mutilation and gang rape, and had her home life live-tweeted by a man looking in her window.

“What I’ve learnt about my antagonists is [that they are] overwhelmingly a group of men who feel as if equality for anyone beyond their demographic is somehow an implicit threat to them,” she said.

“I genuinely do not believe most men are misogynists, but I believe there is an extremist minority that are fighting for dear life to hold on to a status they don’t deserve.”